10 Indians 'confirmed dead' in Russian army: Punjab kin
What's the story
The tragic fate of Indian men who went abroad for work and were later recruited into the Russian army has come to light, according to a report by The Indian Express. Jagdeep Singh, a Goraya resident in Jalandhar, India, returned from Russia with official documents confirming the deaths of 10 Indian nationals. The documents were issued by the Russian army and submitted to Rajya Sabha member Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal's office.
Victims' identities
Deceased and missing Indians identified
Among the deceased, three were from Punjab and the others from Uttar Pradesh and Jammu. The confirmed dead include Tejpal Singh (Amritsar), Arvind Kumar (Lucknow), Dhirendra Kumar (Uttar Pradesh), Vinod Yadav, and Yogendra Yadav, among five others. The four missing Indians are Deepak, Yogeshwar Prasad, Azharuddin Khan, and Ram Chandra.
Brother's search
Jagdeep's search for missing brother leads to Russia
Jagdeep had first met Seechewal on June 29, 2024, seeking help to find his brother Mandeep and other Indians in the Russian army. After failing to locate his brother, Jagdeep traveled to Russia twice, spending 21 days and then two months there. Despite language barriers and logistical challenges, he managed to gather important information about the situation of Indians in Russia.
Diplomatic appeal
Seechewal calls for government intervention, justice
Seechewal has since appealed to the Indian government to use diplomatic channels to stop the recruitment of Indians into the Russian army. He also demanded that the bodies of deceased Indians be returned for last rites as per their religious customs. Furthermore, he called for action against travel agents who allegedly deceived these men with false promises and put them in harm's way.
Recruitment deception
Jagdeep alleges deception by agents, poor embassy support
Jagdeep alleged that Indians are recruited into the Russian army through large-scale deception by agents who lure them with attractive job offers. He said many Indians go to Russia on tourist visas for legitimate work opportunities but are detained at airports over minor document issues and taken to jail. There, they face mental pressure, intimidation, torture, and coercion into joining the Russian army.
Embassy criticism
Jagdeep claims Indian embassy in Russia unhelpful
Jagdeep also claimed that he was detained at an airport over a minor document issue, but managed to convince the authorities of his purpose of visiting Russia. He alleged that the Indian embassy in Russia was not helpful when Indians sought help in such cases. Official government data states that around 200 Indians have been recruited into the Russian army; however, Jagdeep's experience suggests 700-800 are currently in Russian jails, and a similar number have already been recruited.